Erbe Elektromedizin Gmbh

Franz Geiselhart

Gunter Farin

Matthias Voigtländer

Johannes Klett

Horst Kegreiss

Stefan Gross

A cryosurgical apparatus with a temperature regulator. For better therapeutic success, it is desirable to set the temperature applied to a cryosurgical instrument as exactly as possible. Conventional apparatuses have corresponding temperature sensors allowing the regulation of the cooling power in the cryosurgical instrument such that the cooling power corresponds to a predefined value. However, the dimensions of some temperature sensors prevent them from being provided within a cryoprobe. Furthermore, suitable temperature sensors are expensive and have low durability. This problem is solved by the disclosed temperature regulator for regulating the temperature of a cryoprobe, which supplies an at least partly liquid refrigerant at a first pressure to an evaporation region such that the coolant evaporates at least temporarily under the presence of a second pressure for cooling a cooling portion of the cryoprobe. A pressure setting means that sets at least the second pressure is also provided.

Temperature controller for a cryoprobe, cryosurgical device having a temperature controller, and method for regulating the temperature of a cryoprobe

An electrosurgical device for devitalizing tissue including a probe body, equipped with at least one electrode, and a cooling device. The probe body is suitable for generating a heat distribution field by means of a high-frequency current for devitalizing the tissue. The cooling device prevents carbonization of the tissue close to the probe body that would normally occur since the maximum current density occurs here. The electrosurgical device is modified such that the heat distribution over the probe body can be adjusted, allowing adjustment or positioning of a maximum cooling zone within the probe body. This regulation may be accomplished by regulating the inlet pressure of the refrigerant supply to the electrosurgical device.

Electrosurgical device, method for generating a prescribed heat distribution over a probe body, method for generating a heat distribution field

A surgical instrument has a gas-delivery device to supply a noble gas or other inert gas to a tissue-treatment region and a rinsing device for rinsing a target region, in particular a tissue-treatment region. In the instrument the rinsing pressure is generated by the inert gas supplied by the gas-delivery device.

Surgical instrument

A cryosurgical device, with a control for the supply and/or removal of a coolant gas to a cryoprobe via a return flow or a supply flow. The device has at least one socket for the attachment of a rigid cryoprobe and a flexible cryoprobe. The socket and the plugs of the cryoprobes each form probe couplings. The configuration of the cryosurgical device allows both rigid and flexible cryoprobes to be automatically connected to the appropriate return flow conduit, independently of the level of knowledge of operating personnel.

Cryosurgical device with a probe coupling formed from the socket and the plug of cryoprobes

A cryosurgical instrument, comprising a cryoprobe having ducting through which a compressed cooling fluid, such as a cooling gas, flows, for cooling a least part of the cryoprobe. The ducting has an expansion channel having a channel cross-section that enlarges progressively in the flow, direction over a predetermined length such that the compressed cooling gas gradually decompresses, at least partially, beyond a predetermined length on its flow path through the expansion channel while simultaneously cooling down.

Cryosurgical instrument

A medical tubular shaft instrument for gripping and cutting tissue which provides a safe mode of operation. The instrument includes electrodes by which a mechanical contact between a blade and an associated cutting surface can be electrically determined. This determination allows the operating physician to be provided with sufficient information to determine whether the tissue that is to be severed has been successfully severed.

Medical instrument

At least one neutral electrodes insulated from each other is separately connected to the current return terminal of a high frequency electro-surgical equipment are applied in electrical contact with the skin of a patient while surgery is performed with the active electrode of the equipment. A low frequency alternating current is passed through the patient's flesh from one neutral electrode to the other to monitor the quality of contact between the neutral electrodes and the patient. The intensity of the intermeittent high frequency current or a corresponding setting of the high frequency surgery equipment is compared with a signal representative of the monitoring current so that warning signals and/or automatic shut-off of the high frequency equipment will occur when and only when the high frequency current for surgical cutting or coagulation is greater than that which is permissible for the electrical transition conductivity present at the time between the respective neutral electrodes and the skin of the patient without risk of thermal damage to the skin at the place the neutral electrode is applied.

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Reutlingen, Germany

Franz Geiselhart